Florida schools seek to enhance security measures

The big story: Students may be out on summer break, but that hasn’t stopped schools from looking for ways to better protect them upon their return.

Several Florida school districts are taking steps to enhance their safety and security measures. Among the steps being taken:

• Deputies from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office will take over as school resource officers in August as the district closes down its security department, Jacksonville Today. The district opened its department in 2019, but faced concerns about having a separate law enforcement agency if a major emergency ever occurred.

• The Bay County school district is adding an Office of School Safety to streamline and centralize district safety initiatives, WJHG reports.

• The Miami-Dade County School Board is exploring whether to add metal detectors at school entrances, WPLG reports. The nearby Broward and Palm Beach districts recently have placed detectors at local high schools.

Hot topics

Teacher shortages: The Polk County school district has more than 300 teaching vacancies to fill for the new school year, Lakeland Now reports. That’s fewer vacancies than at the same time a year ago.

Mental health services: The Citrus County school district is adding a social worker and a psychologist to its mental health team in its effort to better serve students, Citrus County Chronicle reports.

Lunch line: The Leon County school district is increasing its cafeteria prices for the first time in 12 years, in an effort to keep up with rising costs, WCTV reports.

Juvenile justice: Florida has launched a new system aimed at giving students in the juvenile justice system a more uniform and equitable education, Florida Phoenix reports.

Elections: Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz endorsed, and then un-endorsed, a Broward County School Board member appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

Classroom space: The Flagler County school district is planning to lease an old courthouse in Bunnell and shift several specialty programs there, freeing up classrooms, Flagler Live reports.

Charter schools: A state audit found some significant financial concerns at a handful of Florida’s 720 charter schools, Center Square reports.

Cellphones: Clay County elementary and middle school students no longer will be permitted to use cellphones during the school day, WJXT reports.

Book challenges: Two St. Johns County parents who are suing the state over its book challenge appeal law encouraged Flagler County residents to keep up the fight against censorship and for high-quality materials in schools, Flagler Live reports. • A judge rejected the Escambia County school district’s efforts to prevent school board members from testifying in a lawsuit challenging book removals from school libraries, News Service of Florida reports.

Athletics: A Sarasota County high school football coach has been suspended and fined after an investigation found evidence of improper contact with a student from another school, the Herald-Tribune reports. The coach is appealing the decision.

From the court docket ... A former Santa Rosa County middle school bookkeeper pleaded no contest to charges that she stole money from the school, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.

Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to yesterday’s roundup.

Before you go ... New Marvel is coming. Are you more excited for Deadpool? Or Agatha?